A smartcard is an example of an RFID device that has a transponder chip module (TCM) or an antenna module (AM) disposed in a card body (CB) or inlay substrate.
When operating in a contactless mode, a passive antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may be powered by RF from an external RFID reader, and may also communicate by RF with the external RFID reader.
A dual-interface antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may also have a contact pad array (CPA), typically comprising 6 or 8 contact pads (CP, or “ISO pads”) disposed on a “face-up side” or “contact side” (or surface) of the module tape (MT), for interfacing with a contact reader in a contact mode (ISO 7816). A connection bridge (CBR) may be disposed on the face-up side of the tape for effecting a connection between two components such as the module antenna and the RFID chip on the other face-down side of the module tape.
A conventional antenna module (AM) or transponder chip module (TCM) may be generally rectangular, having four sides, and measuring approximately 8.2 mm×10.8 mm for a 6-contact module and 11.8 mm×13.0 mm for an 8-contact module. As disclosed herein, a generally rectangular transponder chip module (TCM) may have a larger or smaller form factor than a conventional transponder chip module (TCM). Alternatively, the transponder chip module (TCM) may be round, elliptical, or other non-rectangular shape.
A module antenna (MA) may be disposed on the module tape (MT) for implementing a contactless interface, such as ISO 14443 and NFC/ISO 15693. Contact pads (CP) may be disposed on the module tape (MT) for implementing a contact interface, such as ISO 7816. The module antenna (MA) may be wire-wound, or etched, for example:                The module antenna (MA) may comprise several turns of wire, such as 50 μm diameter insulated wire. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,774 (2002, Toppan), for example FIGS. 12A, B thereof.        The module antenna (MA) may be a chemically-etched planar antenna (PA) structure. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 8,100,337 (2012, SPS), for example FIG. 3 thereof.        The module antenna (MA) may comprise a laser-etched planar antenna (PA) structure (LES). Reference may be made U.S. Pat. No. 9,272,370 (2016, AmaTech).        
A planar antenna (PA) structure, or simply “planar antenna (PA)”, whether chemically-etched (CES) or laser-etched (LES) is a type of antenna structure (AS) and may comprise a long conductive trace or track having two ends, in the form of a planar, rectangular spiral, disposed in an outer area of a module tape (MT), surrounding the RFID chip on the face-down side of the module tape. This will result in a number of traces or tracks (actually, one long spiraling trace or track), separated by spaces (actually, one long spiraling space). The track (or trace) width may be approximately 100 μm. The planar antenna may be fabricated on other than the module tape, such as on a separate substrate, and joined to the module tape.
A module antenna (MA) connected to an RFID chip (CM), typically on a substrate or module tape (MT), may be referred to as a “transponder chip module”, or simply as a “transponder”, or as a “module”. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,489,613, 9,475,086 and 9,390,364 for examples of transponder chip modules (and coupling frames).